Tennis racket and the like



July 23, 1929. s. o. cARDwELl.v

TENNIS RACKETr AND THE LIKE Filed March 30, 1928 1N VEA/Tok B .J4/#701:1CAROWELL.

A TToR/VE y Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES g 1,721,897 PATENT oFF1jc1=;-qx

SAMUEL osWALD GARDWELL, or LoNDoN, ENGLAND, AssiGNoE To DUNLOP liwinanav coMPANY, LTD., or EoET DUNLOP, EEDINGTQN, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

TENNIS AND THE LIKE.

Appiieation mea March 3o, 192s, serial No. 266,004, and ni GreatBifam'March 31, 1927.

This invention has for its object to provide means Vfor strengtheningwoo-den and like articles; more particularly tennis rackets, cricketbats, golf clubs and the like. The article is provided with a groove inwhich is inserted a strengthening rib, strip or the like of metal which,though light in weight,

1 has correspondingly increased strength; con-` veniently such, forinstance, as is known under the trade name duralumin. This is an alloyconsisting mainly of aluminum but periphery of the frame a covering orcon-4 cealing ply of wood which may be stuck to the main frame, therebyimparting the ap-y pearance of an ordinary one-,piece racket.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference shouldbe made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the frame of aV tennis or other racket shownpartly in section;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same, also partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarge-d view in cross section of the frame of the racketshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view in cross section of a modified construction;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in 'cross section of a further modification;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a manner of forming thestiffening -orreinforcing strip.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the racket shown therein andwhich may .be constructed in any convenient manner consists of a stem 1,the lower part 2, of which forms the handle while its upper end 3constitutes what is generally known as the neck. Merging into orextending from the neck 3 is the hoop frame 4 in which holes 5 areprovided for receiving therethrough strings shown) with which the racketis strung.

Provided in the outer peripheral surface of the frame 4 is a groove 6extending around the greater part of the perimeter of the frame, thegroove as shown in Fig. 1 terminating at (not points 7 at each side ofand at equal distances from the neck 3 ofthe racket. Embedded within thegroove 6 is astrip or rib 8 of metal of the kind described, the strip orribbeing snugly fitted and retained therein, the dimension of the groovebeing y such as to tightly embrace the strip. Further, if desired, thestrip or rib may be stuck and/or otherwise secured within the groove.

In order that the racket may present the ape pearance of lan `ordinaryone-piece racket a covering or concealing ply 9 of any suitable materialmaybe provided upon and secured to the outer peripheral surface of theframe, the covering or concealing ply being finished or shaped in anyconvenient manner to allow its easy application to the frame, theconstruction shown in Fig. 1 being tapered in thickness at its ends inorder to readily permit its application to the frame.

It is not to be construed that the constructional details are limited toany of the precise constructions hereinbefore described; I may Vmodifythem without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, asin Fig. 4, the strengthening rib 8 and the concealing ply 9a of theframe 4 may both be embedded and retained Within grooves, Y

the groove 10 for receiving the concealing ply 9a being of greater widththan the groove 6av in which the strengthening strip or rib 8 isembedded.k

- In Fig. 5, wherein a further modification is shown, the strengtheningrib 8 and the concealing ply 9a may be identical in width, the groove 11being of sufhcient depth to receive them. l

Inconstructing the strengthening strip or rib 8 I may form it with itswidth and thick-v ness constant throughout its length, or alternatively,it may be varied in any manner desirable; as, for instance, as shown inFig. 6, where the ends 12 taper in both width and thickness; anyarrangement, however, may

beadopted, it being. appreciated that thev groove is of correspondingdepth and shape;

The strengthening strip preferably does not extend entirely around theblade, but

only extends to within say 1% inches from the wedge which is located inthe neck 3.

As shown, the holes 5 for receiving the strings extend through theframe, the reinforcing or strengthening rib or strip and the concealingply as a whole; and with rackets strengthened according to thisinvention, the

holes may vbe arranged at`A substantially less inclination-to the planeof theA frame than heretobefore, thereby lengthening the life ot the gutas the tendency to fray at the inner edge of the frame is materiallylessened.

The covering ply as described aboveand when composed of Wood may bevarranged With its grain running the length of the frame or be arrangedWith its grain obliquely With respect to the frame. In the first casethe holes to receivethe strings Would be staggered with respect lto oneanother as is usual, as shown in Fig. 2, While in the second case `theywould be arranged in line with one another around the blade oftheracket. A convenient angle for thegrain of the covering ply isdegrees to the-plane of the frame.

Although this invention has beenmore partic-ularly described withreference to tennis and like rackets, it will be appreciated that it isalso applicable in Whole or in part to cricketJ bats, golf clubs andrany other Wood Illy Having now particularly described andv ascertainedthe nature of my said invention and in What manner the samer is to beperformed, I declare that What I claimv is:

A tennis racket having a main frame of a singley piece of comparativelythick Wood around the outerhperiphery of which is a groove, areinforcing strip of greater tensile strength tightly embraced Withinsaid groove and lying therein below the outer face of the frame and aconcealing ply of comparatively thin Wood overlying and entirelyconcealing said reinforcing strip and lying also Within a groove in themain trame. f i Y In Witness whereof7 I have hereunto signed name. y,SAMUEL SWALD CARDWELL.

